Roots Manuva is one of my favourite artists of all time, so this really isn’t the review I wanted to write, but I feel it must be written nevertheless.
Ever since my request for a photo-pass was approved I’ve been walking on air. I’ve been at some truly awesome gigs at Liverpool Music Week in the past week, but this was set to be the jewel in the crown of my week.
It must be said that I tend to write “positive” reviews – I love all kinds of music and I love going to gigs, I choose wisely and I’m rarely dissapointed. Bands as diverse as Japanesse Breakfast, The Filthy Tongues, Joe Bone & The Dark Vibes, Chic, Brix & The Extricated, Anteros, Bang Bang Romeo, All Hail Hyena, Lost Horizons, Dawn Penn, Horace Andy and Jungle are very different types of acts, but the buzz they gave me is the same. I mean there’s no point in applying for a pass for Boyzlife just so that I can slag them off, life’s too short!
Type O
Oscar World Peace
Krafty Cuts & Chali 2na
It has to be said that the night started well. Right from the start Type O set a high bar, and it kept getting better, culminating in Krafty Cuts and Chali 2Na which were quite frankly superb – and the audience were loving it. The scene was set for the star of the show, the anticipation was palpable.
The security guard warned us that they were filming tonight’s show for a DVD so to be sure we bend down when in front of the pit video camera. The tour had been well received, and was culminating in tonight, the end of the tour.
When Roots came on the stage, my first priority was to get some photos. If you’ve ever tried to take a photo at a gig with your phone, you’ll know how challenging it is to get a good shot. A DSLR gives you the tools to take a better shot, but you still need to be on the ball to salvage anything worthwhile, and you only have 3 songs to do so.
Therefore, I was concentrating on getting the photos, hoping to enjoy the gig later, but from the off, he simply didn’t seem to be on form, and it got worse as the night went on.
It got so bad that the guy who was videoing the performance gave up when people started booing.
The audience was split between those who left early and/or boo’d, and those looking desperately disappointed, yet hoping that he would pull it together, over enthusiastically cheering when he hit his stride, only to lose it again soon after.
Those of us who have seen him before know that he’s capable of much, much, much better than this, but the more people boo’d the less he seemed able to concentrate, appealing “Manchester” but he just couldn’t find his stride. It was hard to watch.
The other members of the band tried to pull it together, with the lady singing one of his songs to rapturous applause, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the car-crash of a night, which started out with so much anticipation.
He left the stage at one point, clearly upset, looking on the verge of tears. I wanted to hug him, as he walked past me, but the security had already told me off for sitting on the pit seats (other venues I’ve shot in, it’s normal practice, indeed some don’t like you standing up blocking the audience view) so probably a wise move not to.
The other members of the band convinced him to come back and do Colossal Insight and finish with a barely recognisable Witness (1 Hope) whereupon he collapsed on the floor, a symbolic ending to the evening.
There was no call for an encore.
The venue turned the lights on, no doubt hoping people would leave quietly without any trouble breaking out, which thankfully they did, though the feeling of disappointment was all around.
I felt numb and confused – it was supposed to be a brilliant night, I’d even booked a premier inn so that I didn’t need to leave early to get back to Liverpool (then I discovered the curfew was 10.15 so I could have easily got the train home!)
I headed off to the hotel bar trying to make sense of it.
I went through all the usual stages of grief – anger then denial – I tried to make excuses for him, perhaps I’m just not used to watching bands from the side of the stage, maybe I’m just tired after 7 nights out shooting gigs, I even texted an acquaintance who I knew was there “He wasn’t on very good form tonight?” but in the end I did what people always do when trying to make sense of things in this day and age – turn to social media. People weren’t mincing their words, here is a typical selection:
The one that struck a chord and drew me out of my self-pity was the one “As a punter wanted my money back, as a human being wanted to invite him home and look after him.”
The tories and the media who support them like to foster this idea that if people have problems then it’s their own fault, if we don’t know the reason for something we fill it in with a negative. e.g. I’ve always managed to find work, so if you can’t it must be that you’re lazy. I like a drink but never been an alcoholic, so if you’re an alcoholic or drug addict you must lack self-control, etc etc, it keeps us fighting each other whilst the money-men and big corporations get away with taking liberties.
So in that climate it’s only natural when we’re angry and upset to assume the worst – he selfishly got hammered and ruined our night out that we’ve been looking forward to for ages.
And that may well be the case, end of the tour, thought he’d cut loose and over-did it. I really don’t know.
But then this is Rodney Smith not Mark E. Smith, the rest of the tour seems to have been well received, and I’ve never heard of him being like this before.
Who knows what’s going on in his life right now. His mental health issues are no secret, and he didn’t seem like a well man to me last night.
On Mental Health Awareness day there were lots of people bravely posting on FB about their battles with depression and related issues, often people who on the surface have perfect lives.
I remember a small but vocal minority when Amy Winehouse tragically died, basically saying it was her own fault and she should have been grateful for her fame and success, when many artists struggle on for years and never get a sniff.
But the human mind doesn’t work like that, otherwise we’d all be grinning from ear to ear every day, being grateful that we’re in a relatively prosperous country (despite it’s faults) and not some war torn famine inflicted country.
I think as a society we need to give people the benefit of the doubt more and not jump to negative conclusions.
It was a disappointing night for sure, mainly because we know how truly great he can be.
But today’s another day, the world didn’t end, and his album of B’sides is still better than most bands A sides.
Rodney, if you’re reading this (and lets face it, all the stars read Urbanista, Rolling who?) get well soon man, there was a lot of love for you in that room last night, we all desperately wanted you to pull victory from the jaws of defeat, but last night it was not to be.
Next time you play, I’ll be there, as will many others I’m sure.
On a final side-note, as I wandered around Manchester this morning before my coach back to Liverpool, I passed a guy sleeping in a doorway. It’s easy to sympathise with Rodney’s problems because we love his music, this guy may never have created a ground breaking album, but he’s still human. As the 6th richest country in the world, surely we can end the blight of homelessness if the will is there to do so.
Roots Manuva
